This House of Lords Library Briefing has been prepared in advance of the debate on 21 December 2017 on the following motion tabled by Baroness Walmsley (Liberal Democrat): "to move that this House takes note of the global effects of climate change on health".

This House of Lords Library Briefing has been prepared in advance of the debate on 21 December 2017 on the following motion tabled by Baroness Walmsley (Liberal Democrat): "to move that this House takes note of the global effects of climate change on health".

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment the Government has made of how its industrial strategy will work in tandem with regional devolution deals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment the Government has made of how its industrial strategy will work in tandem with regional devolution deals.

This Lords Library Briefing has been prepared in advance of the debate scheduled to take place in the House of Lords on 26 October 2017 on the impact of air and water pollution on the environment and public health.

This Lords Library Briefing has been prepared in advance of the debate scheduled to take place in the House of Lords on 26 October 2017 on the impact of air and water pollution on the environment and public health.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what progress the Government is making on its plans for new policies on mergers and takeovers; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what progress the Government is making on its plans for new policies on mergers and takeovers; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Infrastructure and Projects Authority Annual Report on Major Projects 2016-17 published on 18 July 2017, what assessment he has made of the Authority's decision to flag seven of his Department's projects amber/red on his Department's policies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Infrastructure and Projects Authority Annual Report on Major Projects 2016-17 published on 18 July 2017, what assessment he has made of the Authority's decision to flag seven of his Department's projects amber/red on his Department's policies.

I beg to move,

That this House has considered Government proposals for better combat compensation.

It is a great pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Gapes, in the last Westminster Hall debate before the recess. I refuse to call it the graveyard shift—this is an extraordinarily important debate. I welcome the...

I beg to move,

That this House has considered Government proposals for better combat compensation.

It is a great pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Gapes, in the last Westminster Hall debate before the recess. I refuse to call it the graveyard shift—this is an extraordinarily important debate. I welcome the...

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Gapes. I congratulate the hon. Member for Wythenshawe and Sale East (Mike Kane) on securing this important debate this afternoon.

The hon. Gentleman made a cogent, reasoned and passionate speech about combat compensation, the changes that are likely to be made,...

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Gapes. I congratulate the hon. Member for Wythenshawe and Sale East (Mike Kane) on securing this important debate this afternoon.

The hon. Gentleman made a cogent, reasoned and passionate speech about combat compensation, the changes that are likely to be made,...

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Gapes. To be honest, I was not best pleased when I realised that I had to come to this sitting of Westminster Hall, right at the end of a parliamentary term, but when I realised what issue was to be...

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Gapes. To be honest, I was not best pleased when I realised that I had to come to this sitting of Westminster Hall, right at the end of a parliamentary term, but when I realised what issue was to be...

I welcome this debate, secured by the hon. Member for Wythenshawe and Sale East (Mike Kane). He said that it was the graveyard shift: it is the last day of term, and I am already on my feet to respond to a debate that could have lasted an hour and...

I welcome this debate, secured by the hon. Member for Wythenshawe and Sale East (Mike Kane). He said that it was the graveyard shift: it is the last day of term, and I am already on my feet to respond to a debate that could have lasted an hour and...

The Minister will know that the armed forces compensation scheme is limited in scope and does not take into account the rehabilitation costs of members of the armed forces who have been injured. We need to keep the court system so that they can get full compensation for the lifetime’s...

The Minister will know that the armed forces compensation scheme is limited in scope and does not take into account the rehabilitation costs of members of the armed forces who have been injured. We need to keep the court system so that they can get full compensation for the lifetime’s...

If I may, I will come on to that in a second. Given that I have some time, it is worth saying that I have just been at a two-day conference with Veterans’ Ministers from Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States, where we discussed that very thing: what...

If I may, I will come on to that in a second. Given that I have some time, it is worth saying that I have just been at a two-day conference with Veterans’ Ministers from Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States, where we discussed that very thing: what...

As I said in my speech, it was my understanding that no court decision has ever second-guessed a military decision in the theatre.

As I said in my speech, it was my understanding that no court decision has ever second-guessed a military decision in the theatre.

I will confirm that is the case. What I am saying is that we would not want any officer, commander or non-commissioned officer to be concerned about such a consideration. However, I hear what the hon. Gentleman says.

We have suggested that in future, whenever a member of the armed forces...

I will confirm that is the case. What I am saying is that we would not want any officer, commander or non-commissioned officer to be concerned about such a consideration. However, I hear what the hon. Gentleman says.

We have suggested that in future, whenever a member of the armed forces...

Rather than excluding claimants in their best interests, would it not be better for there to be a choice on whether to pursue the case through the route suggested, with the MOD, or to take independent legal advice?

Rather than excluding claimants in their best interests, would it not be better for there to be a choice on whether to pursue the case through the route suggested, with the MOD, or to take independent legal advice?

One of the purposes of the consultation is to simplify the system. We need a robust system that everybody is able to follow and that is clearcut for both sides.

For the Government, the new system will mean increased expenditure on compensation for death or injury sustained in the most challenging...

One of the purposes of the consultation is to simplify the system. We need a robust system that everybody is able to follow and that is clearcut for both sides.

For the Government, the new system will mean increased expenditure on compensation for death or injury sustained in the most challenging...

I have two points on that. First, to whom would the lawyer be accountable and who would employ them? Secondly, if the MOD had admitted its negligence and settled the Snatch Land Rover vehicle case, it would not have run up so much expenditure on the legal case.

I have two points on that. First, to whom would the lawyer be accountable and who would employ them? Secondly, if the MOD had admitted its negligence and settled the Snatch Land Rover vehicle case, it would not have run up so much expenditure on the legal case.